Thursday, January 20, 2011

Last Saturday night was a homecoming for The Love Language, who have made a name for themselves nationally this year, at Cat's Cradle [Jan. 16th]. After enlisting a Carrboro band, Cellar Seas [not really up-and-coming, but they don't have a disc out yet] and a special guest I headed to the Cradle ready for some up-and-up pop music to forget about this bitter cold NC has been facing this past week. I really didn't expect there to be a big-name band slipping between the two bands, maybe a well-known, local Merge artist playing alongside the LL. Boy, was I mistaken.

I idly slept through the 90's when it comes to music. I had no idea who the older fellas taking the stage were instead of the LL. I did recognize Mac McCaughan and Jon Wurster from Superchunk and one of those bearded guys from Megafaun, so I figured something was up because the LL is worthy of these names but I didn't think . Then I got the word from my editor at Diversions that Archers of Loaf were about to play.

Me: Cool, I'm texting my dad, he'll know who this is.

My Buddy Garrett [who was at the show]: No Shit, Archers of Loaf, they broke up a decade ago.

My Dad texted me back that they were along the lines of Superchunk
Me: legit, I can dig this [I'm putting two and two together after seeing Mac and Jon]

I had no idea who these guys were and they struck me as a little hard for my scene after the first song. I was definitely hearing the Superchunk vibes and by the second song I was sold, even though it wasn't my usual cup o' tea. The set was full of energy and seemingly flawless, if I didn't know they had broken up 12 years ago and they hadn't told the crowd, I would have thought they were on tour with the LL. I'm assuming the best of the best/easiest to remember songs made up the set list, but regardless they made an impression and I'm going to scouring record stores and eBay for some AofL vinyl. I did however listen to Icky Mettle, their first album and it's beyond anything I would have expected, it's great.

Check out Pt. 2, 3, & 4 [to view to whole concert in hi-def!!!!] after the jump & the set-list as well.

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